When the nostalgic scent of melting peanut butter and rich, bubbling sugar filled my kitchen last Sunday, I was instantly transported back to my grandmother’s cozy, flour-dusted countertops. This Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge recipe is more than just a dessert; it’s a tangible piece of sweet history, a creamy, decadent treat that’s surprisingly simple to whip up. I’m so excited to share this family favorite with you because, trust me, the first bite of that impossibly smooth, perfectly sweet fudge is a hug for your soul. Let’s make some memories together.
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 cups of white sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Now, let’s talk about these ingredients because a few choices here make all the difference. First, the peanut butter: I’ve tested this with natural, oily peanut butter and the texture was a grainy disaster. You must use a regular, shelf-stable creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy—the kind with added stabilizers. It’s non-negotiable for that classic, firm-yet-creamy set. The brown sugar is your secret weapon for depth; it gives the fudge a caramel-like warmth that plain white sugar alone just can’t achieve. And those mini marshmallows? Don’t even think about skipping them. They are the magic that creates the fudge’s legendary smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Equipment Needed
- A heavy-bottomed, medium-sized saucepan
- A reliable candy thermometer (crucial!)
- A sturdy wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
- An 8×8 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- A medium mixing bowl
The right tools turn this from a stressful candy-making experiment into a joyful process. That heavy-bottomed saucepan is your best friend—it distributes heat evenly so your sugar mixture doesn’t scorch in one spot, which I learned the hard way with a thin pot. The candy thermometer is not a suggestion; it’s the rule. “Eyeballing it” leads to sugary soup or rock-hard candy. I tried it once without one and wasted a whole batch. Lining your pan with parchment paper is a tip I wish I’d known years ago; it lets you lift the whole slab of fudge out for effortless, clean slicing.
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